Notifications for Republic of Korea (388 notifications)

- Prepare legal grounds to mitigate administrative disposition for Good Importer who satisfies certain requirements such as having no non-compliance history for last three years, etc.; - Set the period that a laboratory test is applied for same company and same imported food, etc. which is re-imported after having been found to be non-compliant.

The proposed amendments seek to: 1. Revise the limit of mycotoxin in Formulas; 2. Revise the lists of food ingredients in [Annex 1], [Annex 2] and [Annex 3]; 3. Revise and establish the maximum residual limits of pesticides for food [104 pesticides including Inpyrfluxam]; 4. Revise and establish the maximum residual limits of veterinary drugs for food; 5. Revise and establish the general test methods; 6. Revise the other provisions such as clarification of text.

The proposed amendments seek to: 1. Revise and establish the standards and specifications of milk formulas and formulas;2. Revise the maximum residual limits of pesticides for agricultural products.

The proposed amendments seek to: A. Amend precautions for intake, specifications, and daily intake amount, etc. for nine functional raw ingredients, such as banaba leaf extracts[See Draft 3) of 1-10，1-14，2-4，2-12，2-13， 2-22，2-29，2-54. and 1), 2), 3) of 2-33 in Chapter 3.] - Reflect the results of the re-evaluation conducted to ensure safety and functionality in accordance with Article 15-2 of the Health Functional Foods Act B. Expand manufacturing methods for notified functional raw materials[See Draft 1) of 2-29, 2-54 in Chapter 3.]

The proposed amendments seek to: A. Rationalize the re-deliberation protocol for functional raw ingredients with a documented review history [see Draft Article 8 (Return of Application Documents) 2.]; newly established - Re-deliberation requested within two years of suspension will only require review of new data

The proposed amendments seek to: 1. Establish the microbiological criteria for the food of vending machine; 2. Revise the lists of food ingredients in Annex 1.

The Republic of Korea is proposing to amend the “Standards and Specifications for the Food Additives”: 1)   The criteria for recognizing naturally occurring propionic acid and benzoic acid in foods have been expanded to include natural occurrences from animal-derived ingredients;2) The maximum residual amount of sulfites(sodium metabisulfite, potassium metabisulfite, sulfur dioxide, sodium bisulfite, sodium sulfite, sodium hydrosulfite) in the food category ‘other alcoholic beverages made from fruit wine’ has been revised from 0.030 g/kg to 0.20 g/kg as sulfur dioxide;3) The standard for the use of hydroxypropylmethyl cellulose phthalate has been expanded to allow its use in capsules specifically for manufacturing delayed-release health functional foods;4) The standard for the use of propylene glycol has been expanded to allow its use in the food category ‘other foods’;5) The editorial corrections have been made to the maximum use levels of colors used in combination;6) The Korean names of three food additives(maltitol syrup, cyclodextrin syrup, polyglycitol syrup) are changed;7) The synonym of 1 Synthetic flavouring substance is corrected;8) The analytical methods for the following 28 food additives are revised: Biotin, Calcium Caseinate, Calcium Oxide, Choline Bitartrate, Choline Chloride, Enzymatically Modified Stevia, Erythritol, Isomalt, Lactitol, D-Maltitol, Maltitol Syrup, Maltogenic Amylase, D-Mannitol, Polyethylene Glycol, Polyglycerol Esters of Interesterified Ricinoleic Acid, Polyglycitol Syrup, Polysorbate 20, Poly-γ-glutamic acid, Potassium Caseinate, Propionic acid, D-Ribose, Sodium Alginate, Sodium Hypochlorite, Sodium Saccharin, Tea Catechin, Xanthan Gum, Xylitol, Zinc Sulfate.

The Republic of Korea is proposing to amend the "Standards and Specifications for the Food Additives". The specifications of Sulfur dioxide and Sulfur have been established.

The Animal and Plant Quarantine Agency (APQA), Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (MAFRA) in the Republic of Korea, has added distributed countries (regions) of Tomato Brown Rugose Fruit Virus (ToBRFV), as a one of the quarantine pests of Korea, which is based on the result of Pest Risk Analysis (PRA).The below four countries (regions) have been added as ToBRFV distributed countries (regions) and the import of seeds for sowing and seedlings (such as nursery/root stocks, cuttings and scions) of Capsicum spp. and Solanum lycopersicum from ToBRFV distributed countries (regions) will need to meet certain conditions for import to Korea (see Attachment 1 for details).- Four countries (regions) are added to ToBRFV distributed countries (regions): India (Regions: Karnataka, Maharashtra), China (Region: Liaoning), PeruFull information about the plants, countries (regions) and additional requirements related to Tomato Brown Rugose Fruit Virus (ToBRFV) is available in Attachment 1 (available in English).This measure will be applied on consignment shipped on and after 15 August 2024.

The main proposed amendments seek to:A. Clarify the application process for the expedited approval procedures of the notification on the raw materials that are used for acquiring foreign currency pursuant and the raw materials that are used for self-manufacturing purposes(Foods, etc.,  recognized as safe by the Minister of Food and Drug Safety/ Foods, etc., with test/inspection reports from foreign testing /inspection institutions); B. Adjust the list of food products, etc., that the Minister of Food and Drug Safety recognizes as safe by reflecting the non-compliance records; C. Adjust the number of pesticides that are test items for the laboratory inspections conducted on the newly imported agricultural products by reflecting the non-compliance records, etc.

This is to revise some provisions of the Special Act on Imported Food Safety Control, due to the establishment of the import sanitation assessment for animal products, by modifying the title of the related MFDS Notice, clarifying subject to the assessment and preparing import sanitation requirements for animal products:The title of MFDS Notice, the "Countries (Regions) Allowed for Import of Livestock Products and Import Sanitation Requirement", is replaced with the "Countries (Regions) Allowed for Import of Livestock Products and Animal Products, and Import Sanitation Requirements";Other meat and other egg products of the animal products prescribed by the Minister of Food and Drug Safety in the Notice indicates ostrich meat and ostrich eggs;The import sanitation requirements which both the governments and establishments exporting animal products to Korea shall comply with are added.

As the import sanitation assessment for animal products will be initiated resulting from the revision of the Special Act on Imported Food Safety Control, this is to modify the title of the established rule and to adjust provisions prescribing the procedures for the import sanitation assessment:The title of the established rule, the "Criteria in performing the Procedures for the Import Sanitation Assessment on Livestock Products", is replaced with the "Criteria in performing the Procedures for the Import Sanitation Assessment on Livestock Products and Animal Products".

The Animal and Plant Quarantine Agency (APQA), Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (MAFRA) in the Republic of Korea has amended hosts of Xylella fastidiosa, one of the prohibited quarantine pests of the Republic of Korea, which is based on the result of a Pest Risk Analysis (PRA).APQA notifies to add one genus and 15 species to the host plants (Import-prohibited plants) list and remove one species (Lonicera japonica) from the host plants (Import-prohibited plants) list from July 2024. Please find the attachment for more details of host plants, the vectors and distributed areas.

The Animal and Plant Quarantine Agency (APQA), Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (MAFRA) in the Republic of Korea, has amended the quarantine pest list which is based on the result of a Pest Risk Analysis (PRA) and in accordance with the provisions of Articles 4 and 6 of the Ministerial Ordinance of the Plant Protection Act.The APQA notifies to amend the quarantine pest list as follows from July 2024: Add 41 quarantine pests (41 species) to the quarantine pest list;Remove ten pests (ten species) from the quarantine pest list;Remove Anisandrus pyri from the quarantine pest list due to confirmation of Xyleborus dispar's synonym (1 species);Change the scientific name of quarantine pest (1 species).The information is detailed in the attachment.

Some revisions are made to Enforcement Rule of the Aquatic Organism Disease Control Act as follows: (1) Three kinds of amphibian diseases(Infection with Batrachochytrium dendrobatidisBatrachochytirum salamandrivoransRanavirus species) are designated as legally-controlled diseases; (2) Detailed procedures are formulated regarding registration, cancelation, etc. of Korean processing establishments for export of aquatic animals and products thereof; (3) Detailed procedures are formulated regarding registration, modification, extension of the registration, etc. of overseas processing establishments of aquatic animals and products thereof; (4) Legal basis is formulated for officials to go in person and inspect how overseas establishments manage and control aquatic animal diseases; (5) Legal basis is formulated to take an import suspension measure following the result of the on-site inspection or import risk analysis; (6)  Legal basis is formulated to carry out import risk analysis after taking emergency measures to prevent the spread of aquatic animal diseases; and (7) Other improvements are made regarding domestic disease control procedures, etc.

The proposed amendments seek to: 1) Revise the standards for printing on food contact surfaces; 2) Revise the standards for samples with accessories of the same material and colour as the main body; 3) Revise test methods and wordings.

The proposed amendments aim to achieve the following: A. The new establishment of an import quarantine system for mammalia, aves, and reptilia in the wild; B. Wildlife diseases subject to quarantine (a detailed list of diseases will be created through a public notice by the Ministry of Environment, which will be also informed to the WTO); C. The scope of items designated for quarantine; D. The specific procedure of import quarantine.

The proposed amendments seek to:A. Revise the regulations allowing revoke - if all functionality is not approved according to the re-evaluation results (attached Form 1): - Clarify regulations that if all functional contents are not recognized according to the results of the re-evaluation in article 15-2 (re-evaluation) 1 of the Health Functional Food Act, the items notified or approved could be modified or revoked.

The proposed amendments seek to: A. Specify the regulation regarding the application of the functional component (or indicator component) standard for individually approved functional raw materials;B. Add vitamin K2 as a raw material for vitamin K;C. Offer 'Test method application table' reflecting the revision of the Food Standards and Specifications to provide accurate information;D. Establish test methods for individual components.

The proposed amendment seeks to: 1. Revise the storage and distribution standards; 2. Revise the name of Seasoned Laver; 3. Revise the lists of food ingredients in Annex 1 and Annex 2; 4. Revise and establish the maximum residual limits of pesticides for agricultural products (59 pesticides including Fluazaindolizine); 5. Revise and establish the maximum residual limits of veterinary drugs for food; 6. Revise and establish the general test methods.